Washer distributing mechanism



April 3, 1934. sci- 0 2 1,953,778

WASHER DI STRIBUTING MECHANI SM Filed June 30, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l wmw 4 M650? April 3, 1934. A. M. SCHOLZ 1,953,778

WASHER DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM Filed June 30, 19312 3 Shets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATES WASHER DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM Alfred M. Schulz, Trenton, N. J assignor of forty per cent to P. 8; Pattern and Foundry Company, Ina, Trenton, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 30, 1932, Serial No. 620,059

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a mechanism for distributing washers upon the pins of rubber heel molds which act as cores to provide the nail holes in the heels.

Rubber heels of the usual type are provided on their lower sides with countersinks so that the heads of the securing nails are located in such positions that the heads will not contact with the ground even after considerable wear of the tread surface. To form these countersinks, pins of suitable shape are carried by the bottom members of the rubber heel mold to act as cores, these pins being cylindrical, conical, hemispherical, or the like, depending upon the desired shape of the countersink.

Since the rubber is of limited strength, a nail which could not be torn out would have to be provided with a head of very large diameter. To avoid this it is customary to mold into the heel at the inner end of the countersinks metallic washers of substantial outside diameter but provided with central holes of such small size that even a small nail head will fail to pass through. Thus small heads may be used with a consequent small size countersink. These washers which are in general of a dished shape or flat are, during the molding, centered on small projections extending centrally upwardly from the coring pins, the washers being located with their concave sides down unless they are fiat.

Placing these washers in position by hand is obviously a very tedious and time-consuming operation since five or more washers must be used for every heel, and, because of their small size, the washers are diificult to handle. Because of this, various machines have been designed to accomplish the distribution of washers on pins automatically. In general these machines consist of separate units, one of which is designed to locate the washers on wires with their corresponding faces uniformly positioned, while the other is designed to feed the washers from the wires to the pins. Both of these units are mechanically elaborate in the best form used heretofore, and the duplication of mechanisms for performing what should essentially be a single operation results not only in considerable cost but also additional labor requirements and time consuming transferring operations.

It is the broad object of the present invention to provide a single mechanism which automatically locates washers on mold pins from a supply of washers carried in random condition in a hopper, the mechanism operating merely by being pulled over the pins by an operator, the only additional operation being a replenishment of the washers in the hopper at infrequent intervals.

The coring pins of the heel mold follow in a general way the contour of a heel so that, besides one or two pins located on a central axis there are two lateral series distributed along curved lines more or less parallel to the sides of a heel. In the present device, three feeding members are provided, one to locate washers on the central pins and the others to locate washers on the respective side series. Since the device as a whole moves in the direction of the central axis of the heels, provision is made for sidewise movements of the side feeding members to enable them to follow the side series of pins.

Other objects of the invention, relating primarily to details of construction, will be apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the lower end of a feeding finger;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing certain elements of the hopper and cooperating parts;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the mechanism, partly in section;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the plane indicated by 6-6 in Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is a section taken on the broken planes indicated at '7-7 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the hopper;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section showing the arrangement of the supporting frame; and

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the machine.

The bottom member of a usual type of rubber heel mold is illustrated at A. This member carries upwardly projecting pins P designed to form 1 the countersinks which have been mentioned above. At the top of these pins are projections Q which are designed to receive the washers ,W in position with their concave sides facing down. After the rubber heel is molded it will be obvious that these washers will be left therein so that their concave faces will be in engagement with the heads of the securing nails. As most clearly illustrated in Fig. 9, the pins P may be considered as arranged in three series, a central series consisting of the front and rear central pins and two side series extending in curves paralleling the sides of the heel.

The improved machine comprises a frame consisting of a base 2 and a curved standard 4 extending upwardly therefrom, acting not only as a handle by which the machine may be moved by an operator in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l, but also as a support for various parts hereafter described. Extending longitudinally on the underside of the base 2 is a member 6 provided with a channel 8 designed to engage the upward extremities of the pins of the central series mentioned above. The forward end of this channel is flared as indicated at 10 so that there is no difficulty in moving it to engage successive pins as it is drawn along the mold.

Extending downwardly through openings 12 at the base are pinwheels carried by a transverse shaft 14 journalled in the frame, said pinwheels consisting of side polygonal members 16 secured to the shaft and supporting pins 18 arranged to engage the upward extremities of the pin projections Q, or, if desired, the pins proper P. It will be obvious that as the machine is moved over the pins these pinwheels will engage the pins and be rotated thereby, thus imparting rotation to the shaft 14. Gears 20 carried by the shaft 14 mesh with gears 22 carried by a shaft 24, which shaft on its opposite ends carries cranks 26 connected by links 30 to similar levers 32 pivoted at points 34 on the opposite sides of a hopper 36. The levers 32 are urged about the pivots 34 by springs 38, being normally held against adjustable stop screws 40 threaded into side flanges of the hopper. The hopper is pivoted by downwardly extending ears upon a cross shaft 42 journalled in a block 44 secured to the upper end of the standard 4.

The bottom of the hopper is formed, in the present instance, in two parts. The forward one of these, designated 46, is secured to or formed integral with the side walls of the hopper and constitutes a fixed part. Formed in the upper surface of this fixed part of the bottom are shallow grooves 48 and 50 extending, as illustrated, in Fig. 8, parallel to the deflected forward walls of the hopper of which more will be said later. These channels 48 and 50 are so shallow that their boundary walls are approximately of a height just the thickness of the material forming the washers. Accordingly, if a washer drops into one of these slots with its concave side facing downwardly, it will be substantially held therein, and in its further progress, as the hopper tilts, will move along the slot without falling therefrom. On the other hand, if a washer falls into one of the slots with its convex side facing downwardly, its edges will extend upwardly beyond the bounding walls of the slot so that very little effort will be required to dislodge it from the slot, since its edges will readily ride over the bounding walls. The central slot which has been specially designated as 50 has a shorter extent than the other two for reasons which will hereafter be brought out.

The remainder of the bottom of the hopper, designated 52, is pivoted on pivot screws 54 at its rearward end. Springs 56 carried by the side walls of the hopper press downwardly against the bottom portion 52 normally urging it to such position that the forward ends of springs 58 engage within the slots 48 and 50. These forward ends of the springs 58 are bifurcated as indicated at 60, being somewhat down-turned as indicated in Fig. 4 so that in the absence of washers they will engage the bottoms of the slots 48 and 50 preventing any washers from getting therebeneath. By reason of the bifurcated shape, if, upon tilting the hopper to the position shown in construction lines in Fig. 1, any washers pass to the then lower ends of the slots 48 and 50, they will ride up over the ends of the springs and pass downwardly into the bottom of the hopper.

Threaded through an extension of the block 44 are adjustable stop screws 62 and 64. The screws 62 are designed to engage the side walls of the hopper, thus positively limiting its movement in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. This positiv arrest of the hopper is permitted by the use of the lever and spring arrangement 3238 which permits the link 30 to move to an abnormally low position as compared with the limited position of the hopper. As the hopper approaches its limited position the movable bottom 52 will engage the screws 64 prior to the engagement of the sides of the hopper with the screws 62. Accordingly, the bottom 52 will be rocked upwardly relatively to the sides of the hopper against the tension of springs 56 which are effectively weaker than the springs 38. By reason of this relative upward movement, the bifurcated ends of springs 58 are raised out of the slots 48 and 50 permitting any washers in these slots, all of which will now have their convex sides facing downwardly, to pass between the fixed and movable portions of the bottom.

The forward end of the movable bottom portion 52 is provided with pins 66 extending downwardly therefrom and arranged to engage cams 68 which are slidable in openings in the block 44 being adjustable inwardly or outwardly by advancing or retracting the screws 70 with coni-- cal operating faces. By reason of this arrangement, when the hopper is returned to the position indicated in Fig. 4, the movable portion 52 of the bottom is again lifted, as indicated in this figure, releasing any washers which might be engaged below the ends 60 of the springs 58.

Grooves "(4 corresponding to the slots 48 and 50 and aligned therewith are formed in the upper surface of the block 44. Above these grooves there are corresponding slots 72 in the movable portion 52 or" the bottom of the hopper. Accordingly, washers discharged from the grooves 48 and 50 may pass freely into these grooves.

Washer guiding fingers, or chutes, 76, carry at their upper ends threaded studs 78 extending loosely through openings in the block 44. Springs 82 surrounding these studs and reacting against the block 44 and nuts threaded on the studs serve to normally maintain the fingers and chutes 7-3 against the supporting surface of the block 44. The chutes '76 are provided with inturned side flanges 84 to provide channels aligning with the passages 74. By reason of this arrangement washers passing from '74 will move downwardly through the guiding channels with their concave surfaces facing downwardly.

Beneath the lower ends of the fingers '76 are formed guiding elements 86 providing between them widely diverging openings 88 designed to receive pins P as will be obvious from Fig. 2. The divergence of the passages 88 are such that even considerable lateral misalignment of the pins will not prevent the fingers 76 from properly moving thereover. By reason of the fact that the passages converge rearwardly the pins act as cams serving to quite definitely and properly align the fingers to discharge the washers upon the pins.

The fingers 76 are cut away as indicated at 90 at their rearward ends. The inturned flanges 84 terminate adjacent the lower ends of the fingers and only side flanges 92 remain. To

prevent the washers from being jarred out of l control of the fingers, however, there are provided leaf springs 94 carried by clips 96 engaging the sides of the fingers 76 and bifurcated at their lower ends as indicated at 98 to engage the upper surfaces of the washers, as will be is seen in Fig. 2. Small lips 99 together with the springs serve to yieldingly hold the washers in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 prior to their being taken by the pins. It will be noted that the hole in the washer which is presented to be next taken is at approximately the same vertical height as the top of the pin. Inasmuch as the finger is positioned by the pin as indicated above, it will be seen that the extension Q will engage within the opening in the washer and as the machine is moved forwardly the end 98 of the spring will tilt, releasing the washer and permitting it to fall over the extension Q and rest upon the upper end of the pin proper P.

It will be noted from Fig. 1 that the central finger 76 is deflected somewhat so as to lie at the rear of the side fingers. This central finger is supported upon a rest 100 while the side fingers are supported upon surfaces 102 of the U-shaped member which carries 100. The reason for this arrangement is to provide freedom of movement of the side fingers inwardly so as, if necessary, to even slightly underlap the central fingers in case the side series of pins are close to the central series. A spring 104 which may be relatively light prevents the side fingers from getting out of control and normally urges them inwardly towards each other.

From the above discussion the operation of the machine will be obvious. Washers are placed at random within the hopper which, as the machine is moved over the pins of the mold, is oscillated from one extreme position to the other. As it moves in a counterclockwise direction some of the washers will fall into the slots 48 and 50 with their convex sides down. Others will fall into the same slots with their convex sides up. As the hopper moves to a position short of its extreme counterclockwise position those washers which are located in the slots with their concave sides facing downwardly will remain therein. On the other hand, those in the reverse position will fall out of the slots over the properly located washers and the sides of the slots and also over the forward ends of the springs 58. As the extreme position is approached, all of the improperly located washers together with those that have not engaged the slots at all will have passed to the lower end of the hopper. When the extreme position is reached an opening of the bottom of the hopper occurs. The properly located washers will then pass into the openings 74 and downwardly within the chutes.

On the reverse oscillation in a clockwise direction the various washers will be tumbled to the rear of the hopper in random positions. As the extreme position is reached the bottom will again open to liberate any washers which might possibly have not passed downwardly into the chutes, held by reason of the fact that the chutes are full, or because a washer may have assumed some irregular improper position and have been caught on one of the prongs of the springs 58. This opening accordingly insures that the springs 58 will be clear of any washers and that all of them will be located at the then lowermost portion of the hopper. As reverse oscillation occurs, closure of the bottom of the hopper first takes place and then after a horizontal position is passed the washers again slide to the lowermost portion of the hopper, now its rearward portion, some of them again falling in proper position within the slots 48 and 50 to be discharged at the extreme position. The purpose of deflecting the forward end of the hopper and the slots as shown is to insure that a maximum number of washers will slide over the slots so that they will become properly filled. As will be obvious, the central series of pins contain a smaller number than the side series. For this reason, it is desirable to make the central slot 50 shorter than the others so that a smaller number of washers are delivered thereto, this being not only to prevent any possible jamming but also to insure that when only a small number of washers are in the hopper, the side slots get their proper shares.

It will be obvious that when a chute is full, further discharge of the washers thereinto will not take place, and, accordingly, they will mere- 1y be drawn backwardly and forwardly within the hopper until withdrawal takes place to accommodate others.

As the machine moves in the straight line delined by the central series of pins, the side fingers will have restricted inward and outward movements to properly position washers upon the outer series of the pins. These movements are, of course, controlled as indicated above by the engagement of pins within the converging slots 88.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for locating washers upon pins comprising at least one finger arranged to conduct washers to pins, an oscillatory hopper arranged to hold a supply of washers, means for imparting oscillatory movements to the hopper, and means between the hopper and finger arranged to pass to the finger washers which occupy a predetermined position during movement of the hopper in one direction and to prevent Washers occupying other positions from passing to the finger.

2; A machine for locating washers upon pins including an oscillating hopper, means for conducting washers from the hopper to pins, and means engageable with pins during movements of the machine to be moved thereby and connections between the last named means and the hopper whereby movements imparted to the former produce oscillation of the latter.

3. A machine for locating Washers upon pins including an oscillating hopper, means for conducting washers from the hopper to pins, means limiting oscillation of the hopper in one direction,

and means engageable with pins during movements of the machine to be moved thereby and connections between the last named means and the hopper whereby movements imparted to the former produce oscillation of the latter, said connections being yielding.

4. A machine for locating washers upon pins including an oscillating hopper, means for conducting washers from the hopper to pins, adjustable means limiting oscillation of the hopper in one direction, and means engageable with pins during movements of the machine to be moved thereby and connections between the last named means and the hopper whereby movements imparted to the former produce oscillations of the latter, said connections being yielding.

5. A machine for locating washers upon pins comprising at least one finger arranged to conduct washers to pins, as oscillatory hopper, said hopper having a bottom including a fixed part and a part movable relatively to the fixed part, said parts providing an opening communicating with the finger, said movable part being moved to open position at both extremes of the oscillatory movements, once to provide for discharge of washers to the finger and at the other extreme to free undischarged washers.

6. A machine for locating washers upon pins comprising at least one finger arranged to conduct washers to pins, an oscillating hopper, said hopper having a bottom including a fixed part and a part movable relatively to the fixed part, said parts providing an opening communicating with the finger, said movable part being moved to open position at both extremes of the oscillatory movements, once to provide for discharge of washers to the finger and at the other extreme to free undischarged Washers, the opening in the first case being designed to pass only washers occupying a predetermined position.

7. A machine for locating Washers upon pins comprising at least one finger arranged to conduct washers to pins, an oscillating hopper, said hopper having a bottom including a fixed part and a part movable relatively to the fixed part, said parts providing an opening communicating with the finger, said movable part being moved to open position at both extremes of the oscillatory movements, once to provide for discharge of washers to the finger and at the other extreme to free undischarged washers, the opening in the first case being designed to pass only washers with their concave sides down.

8. A machine for locating washers upon pins comprising a frame, means for guiding the frame in predetermined relationship to pins while mov ing thereover, a hopper, means for oscillating the hopper during movements of the frame, and means receiving washers from the hopper and holding the same in predetermined position for presentation to pins.

9. A machine for locating washers upon pins comprising a frame, means for guiding the frame in predetermined relationship to pins while moving thereover, a hopper, means for oscillating the hopper during movements of the frame, and

means receiving washers from the hopper and holding the same for presentation to pins with their concave sides down.

10. A machine for locating Washers upon pins comprising at least one finger arranged to conduct washers to pins, an oscillating hopper arranged to hold a supply of washers, and means between the hopper and the finger for insuring a predetermined arrangement for washers conducted by the finger.

11. A machine for locating washers upon pins including an oscillating hopper, means for conducting washers from the hopper to pins and means operative by movements of the machine to impart oscillating movements to the hopper.

12. A machine for locating washers upon pins including an oscillating hopper, means for conducting washers from the hopper to the pins, means limiting oscillation of the hopper in one direction, means operated by movements of the machine, and connections between the last named means and the hopper whereby movements imparted to the former produce oscillation of the latter, said connections being yielding.

13. A machine for locating washers upon pins including an oscillating hopper, means for conducting Washers from the hoppers to the pins, adjustable means limiting oscillation of the hop per in one direction, means operated by movement of the machine, and connections between the last named means and the hopper whereby movements imparted to the former may pro duce oscillations of the latter, said connections being yielding.

ALFRED M. SCI-IOLZ. 

